Door track

ABSTRACT

A TRACK IS PROVIDED FOR A SLIDING WALL PANEL AND THE LIKE INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER SUPPORTING A RAIL AND HAVING A FLANGE DEFINING A GUIDE GROOVE WITH THE RAIL FOR RECEIVING A GUIDE EXTENSION OF THE PANEL. A HARDENED INSERT STRIP IS PROVIDED ALONE THE INNER SURFACE OF THE FLANGES FACING THE RESPECTIVE RAIL TO DEFINE A BEARING SURFACE FOR THE GUIDE PROJECTION.

Oct. 26, 1971 T. E. MATTHEWS 3,614,803

DOOR TRACK Filed April '1. 1969 I INVENI'URI THOMAS E, MATTHEWS ATT'YSUnited States li'aten 3,614,803 DOOR TRACK Thomas E. Matthews, Niles,Mich, assignor to American Metal Climax, line, New York, N31. Filed Apr.7, 1969, Ser. No. 813,824 lint. Cl. A4711 33/00 US. C]. 16-94 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A track is provided for a sliding wall paneland the like including a base member supporting a rail and having aflange defining a guide groove with the rail for receiving a guideextension of the panel. A hardened insert strip is provided along theinner surface of the flanges facing the respective rail to define abearing surface for the guide projection.

The present invention relates to a track structure and moreparticularly, to a track structure for a sliding wall panel and thelike.

Sliding wall panels or sliding doors are available commercially whereina plurality of panels in abutting relation close an opening in astructure, and the panels are slideable on a track into a stacking orstorage area adjacent the opening. One common type of track structure toguide the panels into the stacking or storage area employs a trackdiverter wherein a guide groove in the tract receives a guide projectionor pin adjacent the door caster to move the panels in the desireddirection. Difiiculty has heretofore been encountered in the sticking ofthe guide projections or the digging of the guide projections into thesides of the guide groove, particularly in the diverter area where thepanel casters must be turned by the track.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved track structure for a sliding door which overcomes theabove difiiculties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedtrack structure.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision ofa new and improved track structure which facilitates smooth turning andmovement of the panel casters.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds and the features ofnovelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out withparticularly in the claims annexed and forming a part of thisspecification.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided animproved track for a sliding wall panel and the like of the type havinga rail for a caster mounted on a rail supported in a base member. Aflange is provided spaced apart from the rail to define a guide groovefor receiving a guide member of the panel or panel caster. In accordancewith the present invention, a hardened insert strip is provided alongthe inner surface of the flange to provide a bearing surface for theguide member. The insert strip is particularly useful in the diverterarea of the track.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may behad to the accompanynig drawings wherein:

vFIG. 1 is a plan view of a typical diverter arrangement in a trackstructure;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the diverter structure drawn to a largerscale;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional elevational view of the track structure ofFIG. 2, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 7

2, illustrating a panel caster in place;

Bfiiiflfld Patented Uct. 26, 1971 FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of an insert strip according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the track structure, taken alongline 55 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a track structurehaving a diverter section for directing a plurality of sliding wallpanels and the like from an opening area 11 into a storage area 12. Tothis end the diverter section 10 spreads a double track structure 10ainto a pair of diverging single track structures 10b and 100.

A typical track structure and sliding door arrangement is more fullydescribed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 3,334,375 grantedAug. 8, 1967 to S. Eugene Hubbard. However, briefly, in the embodimentherein illustrated, referring to the typical double track structure 10aillustrated in FIG. 3, a rail 15 is carried on a rail support 16 of abase member 17. The rail support 16 and base member 17 in theillustrated embodiment are formed as a unitary extrusion. The basemember 17 may, if desired, be supported by adjusting screws 18 extendingthrough ears or projections 19 to permit leveling of the track structureduring assembly. The structure then is grouted or imbedded in a suitablefloor base, such as concrete 20. Spaced on each side of the rail 15 areupwardly extending flanges 22 and 23 defining respective guide grooves24 and 25 with the rail 15.

As more fully described in the above identified Letters Patent No.3,334,375, a typical wall panel is provided with a pair of casters atits lower end, only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 3. Each of thecasters 30 includes a wheel 31 riding on the rail 15, and a guideprojection or pin 32 extending into a respective one of the guidegrooves, here shown as guide groove 24. It is understood that the othercaster on the same panel will have a guide pin extending into the otherone 25 of the guide grooves. Thus when the sliding wall panel is movedfrom the opening area 11 into the storage area 12, one of the guidecasters will be directed along the single track structure 1%, the otherbeing directed along the track 100 so as to stack the doors for storage.

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical single track structure. As thereinillustrated the rail 15 is supported on a rail support 16a from a basemember 17a. A spaced apart upstanding flange 23a, formed as an extensionof the flange 23, defines the groove 25. A second upstanding flange 23bis closely positioned to the rail 15, there being no need for a secondguide groove in the single track srtucture 100.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improvedhardened insert strip 35 of stainless steel or other suitable materialextending along each of the flanges 22 and 23 through the divertersection. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the insert strips 35 isgenerally elongated, having a vertical bearing surface 36 and a .returnflange 37 at the ends thereof at right angles thereto and fitted overthe end 22c, 23c of each of the flanges 22 and 23. Each of the insertstrips 35 is provided with a number of tabs 38 along the upper edgethereof and bent outwardly over the upper edge of the respective flange.Fasteners, such as self threading metal screws 40, extend through screwholes 38a in the tabs 38 to fasten the insert strips 35 to therespective flanges.

Where it is necessary to join two of the inserts 35 the adjoining returnflanges and adjacent bearing surface of each strip is cut oif to the tab38, as illustrated in phantom in FIG. 4 at 42, to provide abutting tabsas illustrated in detail B of FIG. 1.

The insert strips are particularly desirable in the diverter area wherethe casters must be turned and the guide pins 32 thereof therefore bearagainst the sides of the guide grooves 24 and 25. Thus the insert strips35 prevent sticking and gouging of the pins 32 into the flanges 22 and23 of the track. Moreover since the rail support and base member iscommonly of soft extrudable material such as aluminum, the addition ofthe insert strips prevents tearing up and gouging of the comparativelysoft flanges. The rail 15, being of bar material, and carrying thebearing load of the panel units, is generally of harder material such assteel. Advantageously the insert strips 35 may be field installed onexisting trackage by opening the joint at the diverter so as to acceptthe return flange of the insert strip.

Although the present invention has been described by reference to only asingle embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that numerousmodifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in theart, and it is intended by the appended claims to cover allmodifications and embodiments which will fall within the true spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A track for a sliding wall panel and the like comprising:

a base member;

a rail support means on said base member;

a rail carried on said support means;

flange means spaced apart from said rail defining a guide groovetherewith for receiving a guide member of the panel; and

a hardened insert strip along the inner surface of said flange means toprovide a bearing surface for a guide member;

said strip including return flanges at right angles to the bearingsurface at the ends thereof fitted over the end of a flange section.

2. A track as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of tabsalongthe upper edge of said bearing surface bent outwardly over the upperedge of said flange means, and a plurality of fasteners extendingthrough respective ones of said tabs securing said strip to said flangemeans.

3. A track as set forth in claims 2 wherein said insert 4 is formed ofstainless steel.

4. A diverter assembly for a sliding wall panel and the like fordirecting panel casters from a double groove track to each of two singlegroove tracks comprising:

a base member;

a rail support carried on said base member;

rail means carried on said support, said rail means including a diverterportion wherein one rail separates into two diverging rails;

a pair of continuous flanges spaced on respective sides of said one railto define a double track having guide grooves on each side of said railmeans running outwardly spaced apart of respective ones of the divergingtracks to define diverging single tracks having a single guide grooveoutwardly of each rail means;

a pair of hardened steel insert strips, one along the inner surface ofeach of said flanges facing the respective rail means to define abearing surface for a guide member,

said strips each having a return flange at right angles to the bearingsurface at the ends thereof fitted over the respective ends of theflanges at the double track of the diverter,

said strips each including a plurality of tabs along the upper edge ofsaid bearing surface bent outwardly over the upper edge of therespective flange; and

a plurality of fasteners extending through respective ones of said tabssecuring each of said strips to a flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,334,375 8/1967 Hubbard 16-972,848,722 8/1958 Choporis 49-425 X 2,557,850 '6/1951 Walter 308-352,255,949 9/1941 Thompson 312-349 2,923,571 2/1960 Adell 52-716 X2,831,244 4/1958 Adell 49462 X FOREIGN PATENTS 955,968 1/1950 France49-127 13,652 5/1898 Great Britain 49-127 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary ExaminerP. A. ASCHENBRENNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16-97

